1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a water separator. More specifically, the invention relates to a water separator having a filter assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of a Heating, Ventilating, and/or Air-conditioning (HVAC) unit in vehicles is known in the art. It is desirable to reduce a water content of an air stream used in the HVAC unit to prevent moisture from being introduced into a passenger compartment of the vehicle. Moisture causes failures of electrical components and can cause odors, which enter the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Moreover, it is desirable to reduce the water content of the air stream used in the HVAC unit to avoid any risk of moisture forming mist or fog on windows in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. As such, the HVAC unit includes a conventional water separator for reducing the water content of the air stream used in the HVAC unit. Generally, the conventional water separator changes a direction of the air stream flowing through the water separator to force water droplets from the air stream thereby reducing the water content of the air stream.
It is also desirable to filter the air stream to eliminate particles from the air stream before the air stream is used in the HVAC unit. As such, the conventional water separator may include a filter assembly disposed within the air passage of the water separator.
The air stream passes through the filter such that the filter collects particles that may be present in the air stream. Over time, buildup of the particles on the filter can occur, which clogs the filter and hinders the flow of the air stream through the water separator. Once the filter becomes clogged it should be replaced.
However, in the conventional water separators that include the filter, it is difficult to remove the filter from the air passage. More specifically, due to certain restraints on HVAC units, the filter of the conventional water separator can only be replaced by at least partially dissembling the conventional water separator and/or the HVAC unit. For example, there may be packaging constraints on the conventional water separator that require the filter to be positioned within the conventional water separator, such that the conventional water separator must be disassembled to access the filter. Having to disassemble the conventional water separator and/or the HVAC unit to access the filter adds additional service time to replace the filter. Additionally, having to dissemble the conventional water separator and/or the HVAC unit to access the filter requires the use of tools, which may not always be available in the field. Therefore, there remains a need to provide an improved water separator.